FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Contact: Arriale Tabson
Office: 615-253-5152
Traffic Safety Alert: Mobile Users of Pokémon GO Warned Against Distracted Driving
Tennessee Highway Safety Office Asks Drivers Not to Play Mobile Gaming App Behind the Wheel
TENNESSEE – The Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) asks drivers to “Wait. Park. Then, Pokémon GO!” to deter Tennesseans, particularly youth, from engaging in Pokémon catching from behind the steering wheel.
Following the July 6 release of Niantic’s and Nintendo’s Pokémon GO, an augmented reality mobile gaming application, THSO noticed a rampant surge in users’ nationwide social media response. Numerous drivers uploaded photos of Pokémon captures made from behind the steering wheel. This prompted THSO to immediately respond via social media with a colorful graphic relaying a positive, proactive message to Tennesseans: “Wait. Park. Then, Pokémon GO!”
“Our office works diligently to educate drivers, protect Tennessee roadways, and serve the public to prevent traffic crashes, injuries, and fatalities,” said Jason Ivey, Interim Director for the Tennessee Highway Safety Office. “We anticipated a potential spike in distracted driving, so we chose preventative measures. With that being said, we support Tennessee Pokémon Masters and rely on them to relay our message. No life is worth losing over distracted driving."
As of March 2016, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security has reported more than 166,000 Tennessee traffic crashes related to distracted driving since 2006. Visit www.tntrafficsafety.org to access Tennessee crash data, statistics, and trend analyses. See below for driver safety tips.
Driver Safety Tips
• Eyes on the road. NEVER drive while texting, using the Pokémon GO app, or any other mobile application.
• Pass to Your Passenger. During Pokémon pursuit, ask your passenger to navigate and operate your mobile device on your behalf. Teamwork makes the the dream work!
• Remember to Look Up. Monitor your surroundings. Be careful not to walk into traffic or wander into suspicious areas. Be mindful of others, and respect private property.
To learn more about the Tennessee Highway Safety Office and driver safety, visit www.tntrafficsafety.org.
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About the Tennessee Highway Safety Office:
The Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) is Tennessee's advocate for traffic safety. THSO works in tandem with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to implement statewide programs addressing occupant protection, impaired driving, speed enforcement, pedestrian and bicycle safety, and crash data collection and analysis. Programs administered by THSO are 100 percent federally funded. THSO’s mission is to effectively develop, implement and evaluate these programs. To learn more about the Tennessee Highway Safety Office, please visit www.tntrafficsafety.org.
For more information, contact Arriale Tabson at 615-253-5152 or Arriale.Tabson@tn.gov.